Excessive pressure on reporters in Pakistan has led to the quality of reporting being compromised, states a report published by an Islamabad-based consultancy, Individualland.

The research was funded by Foundation Open Society Institute. Most of the reporters are unaware of what ‘investigative journalism’ is, says the report, adding “in a country that lacks transparency and neutrality, it is important that investigative journalists fulfill their role”. According to the report the pressure of producing a report or two every day is taxing and leads to reporters getting bored.

Khaled Ahmed, who is quoted in the report, called investigative journalism the “essence of accountability”. He said that investigative reporting could end the current approach to information that he called “superficial”. Shaheen Sehbai recommended that instead of assigning beats to reporters and telling them to file a story every day, they should be encouraged to “dig deep” and “investigate all angles of a story”.

Reader Comments (1)

Are reporters under pressure in Pakistan? or, they are putting extra ordinary presure on the society.

What is transparancy? Investigative reporters on the electornic media who are digging out uncountable stories not only daily on rather every second basis on all topics and aspect of the society for example goverment delaings, courts hearings, social, cultrual and many more. Is there any other country in the world with more media channels than Pakistan? Perhaps no;
there may be non-transparent dealings around yet the reporitng of such happenings is very transparent, neutral and very often.